Before Then
by Merrine
Summary: A prequal to Hetalia Mountain School. Elizabeth recounts the events to which they all moves into the mountains, however she does not like the memories at all.
1. Misfortune

You know that feeling when something has happened and you remember it all too well but your brain sort of blurs the imagery of it all? Like it is no longer something that happened but is now a dream, you feel like you are in an altered state of consciousness and cannot be brought back from it. You wake up from the dream and life feels fine but then you remember the pain of the dream and wonder how your mind could invent such a thing. I digress, I should tell about the events that happened only two years ago.

My name is Elizabeth Hedervary.

Listen to what I have to say.

It was the best time of our lives living in that little village by the mountain side, our parents either worked in the village or left during the week or in the case of some for months on end leaving their children in care with my two friends Arthur and Francis. During this time Yao had just graduated and Vash was still in high school, but we were still carefree.

That day Francis had organised a picnic for Arthur, Yao, him and myself. We had gone up onto a hill and were relaxing in the sun. All our parents were at home and it was a weekend that we could relax without the fear of our younger siblings coming to bother us.

"Aiya it's been so stressful!" Yao cried out lying down on his back, "My parents finally got the split and have been talking with Kiku's about a vacation."

"They leave Kiku alone too much," I scolded knowing that they just always left him with Yao.

"That's true, but on the upside Alfred and Matthew's parents are finally back so I don't have to look after them anymore," Arthur stretched happily laughing slightly, "man Elizabeth you're missing out on all the family drama."

I laughed uneasily, these guys had big problems with their family but they always seemed so calm, "I'd rather not get involved in your problems."

Francis reached his hand over to me placing his hand on my chin bringing his lips to her face, "Ah but if you join my problem you have no problems~"

I pushed him away, he was always hitting on me or some other girl. He really was an idiot, it was a wonder Alice's parent's trusted her with him. She was with Vash now though so it was okay.

"Ugh Francis!" Arthur elbowed him in the head angrily, "Keep it in your pants!"

"Hiyo Arthur you make it sound worse aru!" Yao shrieked like a girl.

The sun went like that, and rain started to pour down. It was odd even for the mountains but where we were lightning often struck and we had strong winds and typhoons.

"Ah the food!" Francis exclaimed as they all went to shelter the food.

I on the other hand had left my washing out, "I'll be back soon!" I said dashing down the hill quickly to my house.

"Elizabeth tell Keith to clean his room!" Arthur yelled angrily pulling the picnic basket under the tree

I can't describe what I saw, the storm had turned to rage and being on the bottom of a mountain the weather turned for the worst. I shielded my face from a massive land slide jumping from my washing line to the side wiping my eyes, "Mother?" I called out to my mother who had been in the house with my father, "Father!" My hands started to tremble and I brought them to my face, "Arthur!"

I screamed in tears running up the hill leaving the horror of the village behind me, my feet started to ache but I had to get to the top, "M-mother and father are..." I breathed deeply I couldn't speak my brain wanted to tell them but my mouth said no, eventually I resorted to pointing at the town. A lightning bolt struck down and the rain was followed by fire.

"Shit!" Arthur was first up running to the edge of the hill putting his leg out in front skidding down, I watched him slip and fall several times but all the way he stayed on track. He loved his brothers and parent's too much to let them die or even be injured. He was a true family man and as I saw him run tears were brought to my eyes.

"Arthur..." I said wiping my eyes with my sleeve trying to keep the tears back.

Yao and Francis looked at each other and followed him down, I had no choice but to help.

We split up soon after that so what I tell you next comes from their own anecdotes, if they could be called that.

.:oOo:.

Arthur here, my heart was beating so hard and it hurt as I reached my house. My house was covered in flames and choked me up, I had to set aside my tears then and cry later when I found my parents. I was still an adult back then but it doesn't say I couldn't cry.

"Brother!" I heard Keith call out his voice was weak but I knew where he was.

I bent down under the flames crawling along placing my hand over my mouth, the flames were hot and I could feel my new jacket start to burn. I slid through a door and smiled for the first time in a long time seeing Keith and Aidan hugging each other tightly in a corner.

"Keith, Aidan!" I called running to them hugging them, they had their toys, "Where are mum and dad?"

Aidan sniffed looking up at me, "They won't move."

An arrow struck through my heart and I loosened my grip looking to the other side of the room, a large wooden supporter beam was crushed down over two lifeless objects that resembled humans.

"Did you see it?" I gulped looking back them, their faces were blotchy and full of tears and as they cried their voices turned husky. They started to show signed that they were having trouble breathing so I decided to ask later and concentrate on getting them out.

I carried them across the room and over the supporting beam trying not to look down, I covered my brother's faces as we walked over as well but I could hear Aidan give a scream then cuddle me tighter, "It's okay," I comforted knowing that it wasn't. The window was already smashed out so I climbed out stepping away from the house hearing a crumble and a crash behind me. I dropped them. I fell over covering my face balling into my hand inconsolably.

The next thing I remember was a hand on my shoulder and looking up to see Francis standing there looking down at me sadly, he bent down hugging me whispering into my ear words I shall never forget. Not once in my life had I ever expected to hear these words, and no one should ever have to hear them. "Don't look back at your house, continue to move on. Mine are gone too, we have to help others."

Francis picked Keith up who had fainted from the whole ordeal, "Aidan," he said as sweetly as he was capable of, "hop on my back." Aidan hoped on Francis's back and he took them up the hill to safety.

"What do I do now?" I screamed punching the ground more tears coming from my eyes, I didn't listen to Francis and looked around. My house was flat on the ground. The flames were all out. "M-mum..." I ran to the rubble starting to pull pieces off roofing and shelfing off, "You're not dead and you cannot die!" I called out trying to forget the image of what Aidan had pointed to. I continued to dig. I had to. I had to save my parents. Even though they were long gone.

.:oOo:.

I Elizabeth Hedavery did not care for my own life that day, I knew my parents were dead and I had no other family members. I ran and ran looking for someone I could save and help, I found someone. Two people, two children. I ran to them sweeping them up in my arms my heart pounding as I heard a crush and crumble behind me.

Alfred and Matthew lived in a two story house that was right under a rocky ledge, often in the rainy season large rocks would fall into their yard. This was not a large rock. This was half the mountain side on their house.

"Mama!" Matthew screamed struggling to get from me, he succeeded, I was in shock.

Matthew ran to where the house had been still clutching Kumajiro, he started to dig at the dirt balling his eyes out. He knew his mama was under there, but he was only a little kid and did not understand death.

I remember actually one week later Matthew asked me when his mama was picking him up, that is why I got the children to call me Mama or offered it to them at least.

Alfred stepped up to Matthew placing his hand on his shoulder, I turned to them smiling thinking he was comforting him. But then I saw Matthew fly to the side and Alfred stay, rocks flew at Alfred and he collapsed backwards clutching at his eyes.

I was responsible for these two, I was responsible for this, "Alfred!" I shouted running over to him, "Alfred let me check your eyes, please Alfred!" I was hysterical as I shook his arms almost violently, "Alfred you could go blind or have to wear glasses!"

"S-save Matthew..." he whispered rubbing his eyes, they must have been in pain and the tears did not help, "Mama said to run...so I ran...the house fell...and Matthew...and Matthew..." He was hyperventilating, this was too much for a child.

For anyone.

I picked him up them went to Matthew, "Matthew sweetie please get on my back," I said to him hoping he would, "we need to help your brother." I could feel him tremble as he got on my back and he didn't stop trembling for weeks, the sight of his dear mama screaming and crying forcing the two of them out the door.

But as I walked and people ran and screamed around me I was struck by the sight of Arthur pulling a photo of his family from the wreckage of his house or what was left of it, "Arthur," I said sadly, "Alfred's badly hurt."

"Keith is fainted and is hardly breathing," he said standing up wiping his eyes taking Alfred off me cradling him, "Francis took my brothers up the hill, I'll take these two."

"Be careful," I warned shifting Matthew to Arthur's back, "for god's sake be careful."

.:oOo:.

Yao, my parents were divorced and I never saw what happened to my house. Kiku had stayed with me for a while a few months back and lived next door so it wasn't a big surprise when I saw him walking towards me with Xiang on his back.

"Kiku! Xiang!" I ran towards them embracing them in a big hug, "What happened aru?"

"Rock fall. I pulled Xiang out," Kiku said.

At first I didn't think much of it but after the incident Kiku was quite silent for a long time, I wanted to ask him what happened to his parents but I could see the both of them had been crying. On later investigation of the town three days we found Kiku's parents in the river, they had drowned. Kiku had obviously witnessed this then went to save Xiang.

"Oh Xiang," I said pulling him off Kiku's back crying into him, "oh Xiang I am so glad you are okay aru."

"Will mama be joining us on the hill, "Xiang said pointing up across at the hill, I turned seeing Francis and Arthur joining him, "yes aru." I didn't listen to the question but I didn't care, as I ran away from the storm in my soaking wet clothes and warm tears streaming off my face I believed my parents were still alive and that they were going to meet us at the top.

.:oOo:.

After rescuing Alfred and Matthew I was feeling even more depressed, the knowing that their parents were dead weighed heavily on my heart as I walked. It was getting dangerous, I looked back up at the hill and saw Arthur and Francis there tending to the boys.

As I looked forward I was determined to find every child and bring them back with me safely, it was my duty and I had to.

Then I saw him sitting in the middle of the road, he wasn't crying he just looked lost.

"Feliks what are you doing?" I asked running towards him.

"Mama and Dada went to help others, they said 'Wait here Feliks', so I waited and they came back," he said. Then he spoke words that I would remember and haunt me for the rest of my life, "Elizabeth, they aren't walking, they don't talk and they are cold, can you wake them up?"

I had to wipe my eye, his words were so sweet and innocent. Yet they spoke of darkness and horror. I wondered why his parents had left him then I looked at his leg looking away quickly, I could see the bone. "Feliks I am afraid mama and dada aren't going to wake up."

"Why?"

I bit my lip picking him up trying to ignore his screams of pain, "I'll explain later," I said turning around. My face was met by Vash's, he looked at me with a neutral glance. He was carrying Alice and Lilli.

"We should get going, the whole town will come down," he said covering Lilli's eyes up.

"Right!" I responded and we started to walk, but Feliks looked back reaching for his parents.

"Elizabeth are they asleep?" He asked innocently.

"Y-yes," I replied back my voice shaking as I spoke, how could I lie to such a sweet child? I took a deep breath stroking his hair shhing him.

.:oOo:.

We reached the top and we sat the children down underneath the tree. I watched helplessly as the guys tended to the children. They all had their soft toys for comfort.

Francis was pouring water into Alfred's eyes then gently picking the rocks out while Kiku obediently held his head straight, "Alfred please stop," he said sadly wrapping a bandage around his eyes so he couldn't blink, "Alfred...please."

I turned my glance to Yao who had taken charge of Keith and Aidan, he had given Aidan water and was now in the process of trying to wake Keith up, "Without a hospital I am worried about the fate of these two," he said listening to Keith's chest looking worried.

Vash was hugging Lilli and Alice tightly before grabbing some cloth wrapping it tightly around Feliks, "Alice darling can you get a stick so we can keep Feliks's leg straight."

I then turned my attention to Arthur who had his head in-between his knees and his hands wrapped around his head, he was taking this worse than any other. When I asked the others they replied with the fact he had seen his parent's burnt bodies and he thought Keith and Aidan were going to die.

"Arthur," I said walking to him placing a hand on his back, I could hear his crying and mumbling about how if they had noticed earlier he could have saved them all, "Arthur it will be okay, the sun always rises in the morning."

"Arthur get here!" Francis shouted frantically, "It's Keith!"

Arthur shot up running over to Keith whose eyes were opening, he picked him up sobbing into him. "K-Keith, I'm so sorry."

Keith couldn't reply to him but he hugged him back crying.

As I looked back over the town I remember that memory merging with the next.

Finding the bodies.

**(A/N: Depressing? Most likely. This is a prequel to my other fanfic Hetalia Mountain School. Review please, there will be another chapter later.)  
**


	2. Hospital

My name is Elizabeth Hedervary, when I was twenty my village was struck down by a horrible storm that caused freak weather and a general catastrophe that killed most of the people. We found out later that other survivors went to the nearby village, as we did once everyone was stable. But that wasn't enough. We had managed to secure clothes for us and the children to wear but without a hospital we worried for the safety of them. Eventually it was decided by Francis, who had taken the lead, that Vash and I would take the children to a small town outside the mountains and get the children checked at a hospital or some small doctor's surgery instead of a full clinic.

Francis then informed us that he would take the others to search for survivors or sentimental items, along with the bodies of our parents and family to give them a proper burial.

I remember feeling utter sadness as I stepped onto the train with the children, Vash had Lilli strapped to his back and was holding Alice and Matthew's hands. Kiku held Xiang's and Feliks, who was limping on a stick due to his leg. I on the other hand had Alfred cuddled up to me, he was scared because he couldn't see a thing. We washed out his eyes everyday but quickly bandaged them up again lest he rub his eyes and make them bleed, he had heard some of the others playing and wanted to too but we all held him back. Finally I had Aidan and Keith who had plenty of water bottles, some contained steamy hot water to help them breathe again if they stopped.

We were really a sad bunch but as we said our farewells waiting for the train doors to close I noticed Arthur sitting up the back with his head in between his knees. I leaned over to Francis whispering in his ear so the children couldn't hear what I said, "Francis honey, make sure Arthur doesn't beat himself up to bad," I felt motherly at the time so excuse me for calling Francis honey alright, "and if it's possible maybe he shouldn't see his parents you know?"

I stepped back and the train doors hisses shut and Francis nodded blowing me a kiss, I have to admit it made me blush, but we were all trying to find the good in the dark fog looming over our hearts. Vash turned and started to walk towards some chairs, since it was a long distance train trip the chairs were inside individual room like things. Vash found one sliding the door open and stepped in un-strapping Lilli and placing her down on his lap, he placed his elbow on the windowsill resting his chin on his hand as Alice and Matthew sat down. I stepped in letting go of Keith and Aidan sitting opposite Vash stroking Alfred's back gently. Xiang sat and Kiku's lap and Aidan and Keith slept on each other.

The trip would take three days and usually with this bunch it would have been hell but they were all quite quiet. The silence hurt though.

As day slowly turned to night we had brought along blankets and laid the kids to rest on the couch, our laps or the floor. Feliks and Alfred had top priority of course. I slept on the floor with the children cradling Lilli while Feliks and Alfred sat on my seat, Vash was in charge in making sure Aidan and Keith continued to breathe through the night and help anyone who awoke.

However on many an occasion it was me instead. As I have said my memory of the whole event is funny but many a time I remember awaking to Vash stroking my hair and wiping tears from my eyes, I remember thinking at the time how mature Vash was being. Here he was sixteen years old, he witnessed his parents death's and was now single-handedly looking after his sister, eight other kids and now me. I felt sort of guilty but he told me not to worry.

"Vash," I sat up hugging my knees so I didn't step on the children, "I'm scared, what will happen now? You still need to finish high school and the others and myself are practically adults...but our parents...what do we do? And what about the kids...they are orphans as well?"

Vash placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him, for the first time in this whole ordeal he seemed troubled and upset, "We can raise them, and they will forget it soon enough," he said calmly looking over at Lilli, "it will scar them for a while but children get over things, once they are older though we'll have a few problems. But Elizabeth, we should only tackle one problem at a time."

"B-but," I quivered leaning in onto Vash, I hadn't had time to mourn the death of my parents and even now I was scared to awake the children, I sniffed wiping my eyes looking up at him, "I don't know what I am going to do."

I asked Vash the next day what had happened and I had apparently cried myself to sleep, I did that for both of the nights.

It was the second day in our journey I remember the best, it was raining and Keith was asleep on my lap and I was stroking his hair. His tiny lungs breathed in just and then out just, his voice wheezed with every breath so I reached for a bottle of water but that wasn't going to be enough for today.

Keith gasped awaking pulling on my sleeve violently, I could see the terror in his eyes as he held his throat. I placed my hand on his back fretting, what was I supposed to do? Vash had taken Lilli, Alice, Matthew, Kiku and Xiang for a walk. What was I supposed to do?

"K-Keith are you okay?" I asked jumping off sitting him up straight, "Keith take a deep breath, oh god Keith please!"

My screaming must have woken Aidan because the next thing I remember was Aidan hugging Keith tightly, probably not good for his lungs, but just after that Keith start to breath. Although it was shallow it was still breathing.

I sighed in relief hugging them both, "Take it easy you too," I said wiping a tear from my eye, "we don't need any more deaths."

Maybe it wasn't the best thing to say to the children but I had no choice, they had to know how I felt and they understood death now. It was no use protecting them any longer. Maybe Lilli, but the others had the right to know their parents were dead. They knew it. Well most of them. My gaze went over to Feliks who still believed his were alive. I sighed sadly.

After more drama and freak weather we made it to the village, we grabbed the few things we brought and stepped to the door. It hissed open.

We stepped out much like we had stepped in and made our way to the small hospital, it was an eerie place. Rusty metal objects lined the walls and the doctors let out patients covered in bandages and it wheel chairs, I sat down with the boys as Vash walked up to the man. He explained what had happened and lucky for us a few people had also come here. The receptionist called out a doctor who called us upstairs into an empty room full of beds.

"So who would you like me to look at?" He asked looking at us all.

"Alfred please," I said placing my hand on his back moving him forward.

The doctor picked Alfred up placing him on the bed starting to unwrap his bandages, it became apparent he was not going to ask what had happened to each of them obviously understanding their trauma. He looked at Alfred's eyes pulling his eye lids looking around, he pulled a magnifying glass over his eyes nodding lying Alfred down. He grabbed special breathable tape and placed it over his eyes, "He will need to have an operation," he said writing notes down on a pad, "it will be mainly retrieving the rocks from inside the eye but we may have a few things to stitch. After that I am not sure if his eyes will recover completely."

I gave a sigh of relief, at least he wasn't going to be blind, "H-how much will it cost?" I asked nervously, we didn't have much money after the incident.

The doctor chuckled shaking his head, "The kids will be free," he said with a smile, "so who will be next?"

He must have been a saint or a guardian angel, "Little Keith and Aidan are suffering from smoke inhalation we think."

The doctor placed the two of them on the bed listening to their lungs and heartbeats, he then told Aidan to move to the next bed and lay them both down, "Aidan should be fine after a few days of rest and water," he paused looking back at Keith moving away, "Keith's lungs have suffered a bit of a beating, I don't know what we can do for that really. I would suggest an operation but I don't really know what is wrong, it may be likely he breathed in glass..."

I clutched at my dress nodding.

"But I do think," he said with a smile but his smile soon dropped to sadness, "if you all move into the mountains the air could help, but if Aidan or especially Keith ever came to a city they could suffer worse problems and possibly death."

"Alright," I said then handed him Feliks, "I don't think he needs much inspection."

The doctor nodded placing Feliks on a stretcher, "Prepare for an operation," he told the nurses as they wheeled him out, "now before I start are there any others?"

I shook my hand picking Matthew up cradling him and rocking him back and forth gently, "No, good luck Doctor," I said as he nodded walking out of the room. I wanted to go in with him but I fear my weakness is uncovered skin and operations. So I waited with Vash with the others. When Feliks came out Keith went in. Keith out Alfred in. Alfred out Doctor out.

"Will they be okay?" I asked still cradling Matthew.

The doctor nodded taking his mask off passing me some papers, "Here is the information about the operations and how to treat them afterwards," he said with a smile, "it would be best for all of you to move to the clear mountains. Especially the un-injured, I can see that little one misses his mama." The doctor bent over whispering into my ear softly, "Let him call you Mama he may improve."

The doctor stood up straight placing a set of crutches by Feliks's bed, "He will need these for a few weeks or months, his leg should heal but he may have problems in future," he started to walk from the room turning back to us one last time, "stay here for a week and after that you can leave, if you have any questions come and find me."

"Thank you Doctor!" I called tears in my eyes.

Vash placed a hand on my shoulder smiling, "Elizabeth, lie down and have some sleep," he said letting Lilli run around him holding his hand, "you need the rest."

Vash was so considerate and if I refused I'd seem stupid or mean, I lay down on the bed next to Alfred still hugging Matthew tightly. I guess sleep would help me.

The week went fast, by the end Alfred still had bandages on but it was good to see the children smiling for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

We had no questions for the doctor, we found it hard getting a word in with Lilli, Alice and Xiang dragging us away. It was all very nice but sadness still weighed heavily down on us, the train ride home was less dramatic as well. I still woke up but Kiku and Matthew did as well. Eventually Vash sent us into another room because we kept on waking and seemed most disturbed.

Kiku refused to talk for the whole time while Matthew mainly just cried, none of us did much talking about the incident. We played a lot and hugged each other while sleeping and comforted when we awoke.

Eventually we moved back in for the last couple of hours. Keith was as noisy as could be with Alfred, they couldn't wait to see Arthur.

The train pulled up and the doors hissed open, Keith jumped out even though I warned him not to do such things. But when we arrived only Francis and Yao stood there.

"Where's Arthur?" I questioned.

They looked at each other then back at me sinking their heads.

To be continued...

**(A/N: Hi Merrin here, this is part 2 of 3 so next time will be the last. Unless I think recovery needs a whole chapter. I am going to clarify a few things here and now. This is set before the invention of the light bulb so they also don't have modern medicine but they have other things, if that wasn't already obvious. I am aware this is becoming something quite sad and possibly disturbing and I hate to say that the next chapter will be the previous week told from Arthur's POV. But anyway please review, anyone who reviews gets a heart 3~)**


	3. A Bigger and Brighter Future

My name is Arthur Kirkland, it is a weird when you have just lost everything you own; your village, your house, your possessions, you parents and the meaning of life. I wanted to turn back time and go back, change something make something happen or not happen, maybe taken my brother's on the picnic so they could actually breathe.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up, the train was gone. I looked up to see Francis smiling down at me weakly, we were going to find the bodies and bury them. I stood up walking down to what was left of our village, I didn't want to go back to my house but Francis forced me.

"Aiya is it a good idea to leave him alone?" I could hear Yao asked as they walked away from me.

"He has to come to terms with it."

I looked at the burnt wreckage of my home grabbing the pick axe I was given, I pulled it up above my head then swung it down lodging it into the wood. I pulled it out again swinging it down again starting to move away some of the beams, I knew what I saw that night and I was about to see it again. The wind blew by and after an hour I had found where they were. Not them yet though.

I placed my hand down to grab at a piece of wood but what I held was soft, charred and sticky. I pulled my hand back giving a scream realising what I had found, I fell backwards not willing to comment looking back at my hand bottom lip quivering, "M-mo-mother?"

I wiped my hand on the ground not breaking eye contact with the charred arm resting on a wooden plank, I closed my eyes reaching my hands in grabbing a plank pulling it off. I opened my eyes again. I felt sick. I didn't want to do this anymore. I don't want to describe what I saw. Let's just say I could now watch open heart surgery while eating steak. I felt light headed and I held my stomach turning around, my mouth opened and I coughed. I was sick, it tasted like what I could see. I rubbed my eyes my body lurching again repeating the action.

I could hear voices behind me but my vision was starting to go black, my mouth tasted horrible and I could feel warm tears streaming down my cheeks. I then felt arms around me, I looked up at Francis. I stood up wrapping my arms around him sobbing into his chest shaking, "I...I c-can't d-do th-this..."

I looked to the side as Yao placed a white sheet over what I had found. He turned to me forcing a smile, he had been crying to, "Francis should I take Arthur to get some water aru?" He asked walking over to me.

"No!" I shouted clinging tighter to Francis, when we were little I used to go to his place a lot or he'd come to mine and look after my brothers and myself. He was like an older brother to me and in this strange world where nothing made sense and my parents were dead I needed him.

Francis sighed patting my back turning to Yao shaking his head, he turned around picking me up onto his back. I loosely wrapped my arms around his neck resting my head on his neck, I looked back at what was once my house shuddering. Francis started to walk but I looked back, I saw Yao moving some of the pieces of wood them pulling out my mother. Francis flinched slightly and considered shoving me off as I retched over his shirt, but after careful deliberation and simple pity he merely hoiked him so he would stay on his back continuing to walk towards the hill.

We had set up a tent for us to stay in, well when I say we I mean Yao, Francis and Vash did. I was too busy sulking at that time. There had been other tents for the others and Elizabeth but we had taken them down before Elizabeth, Vash and the children went on the train that morning.

Francis lay me by a tree pulling his shirt off, good thing it was the long sleeved season, he then turned to look at me sighing pulling a bottle of water from the tent handing it to me, "First rinse your mouth out then slowly drink the rest of the water," he said grabbed a pillow passing it to me, "you don't have a stomach bug so you should be fine."

Francis sometimes seemed irresponsible and even a little mean at times but in his heart he was a truly kind person who wanted to help me if I ever was off by a little bit, mainly so he could start to tease me again, but it was the thought that counted in his case. And really that was all that mattered in the end.

I wasn't speaking and I could tell that this was starting to worry Francis, it worried him all afternoon and it continued to worry him when we stood in the muddy field filled with bodies with sheets over top of them.

Yao sat in between his parents having a good cry, he held their hands stroking their cheeks and cutting their hair placing little bits in a book for him to remember them by. He was young so I didn't really blame him.

Francis sat by his parents very stoically, I could see the tears welling in eyes. This hurt him, trying to be mature, trying to help us all. I wanted to walk over and hug him. Tell him it would be alright. But I had problems of my own, those which Francis had to see too.

I had watched them place flowers on the bodies from afar then had gone back to the tree, I held in my hands a piece of rope that I had tied to the tree. My hands shook as I tied a loop in it sighing deeply rubbing my eyes. I heard sticks cracking behind me.

"So this is your answer?"

"Y-yeah..."

"What about your brothers?"

"I can't look after them..."

Francis slapped Arthur across the neck looking at him, he had been crying.

I changed the subject, "Do you remember when we were kids and we came up here and played families?"

"Of course I do," Francis replied, "do you wish to tarnish my memories by taking your life in our happy place?"

"N-no..."

"Then why?" Francis spat grabbing my shoulder, "Listen bad things happen and we need to learn to live with them, shouldn't we be strong for when the children get back?"

"What's to say they'll be alive?"

"You haven't been thinking Keith and Aidan will be dead all this time have you?" Francis asked slapping his forehead, I could see his irritation. His annoyance with me. It was impossible to hide.

"I'm sorry Francis!" I yelled placing the loop around my neck.

"Stop it!" Francis pointed down to the bodies, "Do we really need one more?"

"There are so many, it won't make a difference..."

"It will!" He shouted trying to pull the noose from my neck, "Because those bodies aren't my best friend!"

I paused, I couldn't move. Francis's words hit me hard like a baseball bat to the head, and the words hurt. I took the rope off my neck and leaned on Francis, okay I felt horrible so I regretted relying so much on him afterwards, but I had to.

I think I cried for an hour until Yao came up and I was apparently asleep. After that Yao apparently got hugs from Francis. He is very huggable I guess.

We had had word that Elizabeth was coming back so Yao and Francis started to prepare, they had been told moving to the mountains would be a good idea. We found an old mansion in front of a shack in which we used to play and started to deck it out making liveable, meanwhile Francis also made a school. You'd think someone would keep that as a memory for a long time but no, alas I have forgotten most of that whole days, weeks and even months. That whole year is a kind of blur.

Francis, Yao and I stood at the train station, we were waiting for them.

"Did Vash say anything about Aidan and Keith?" I asked looking up at Francis.

He smiled back at me, "They are coming home alive, but Keith had an operation."

My whole body froze. Was he going to be okay?

"What about Alfred and Matthew?"

"Alfred had an operation too."

Another shiver. I stood up running onto the rail, I could hear Francis and Yao shouting. I turned seeing the screeching of the train coming closer. I smiled.

I saw him run off the platform, Yao and I stood and stared but then out attention was turned to Elizabeth getting off the train.

"Where's Arthur?" She asked peering into my eyes, glaring pulling me closer into their abyss of hatred and resentment if something had happened to him.

"Where's Arthur?" Keith asked standing forward, his chest was bandaged.

"Keith! Aidan!" Arthur jumping up from the rail track, thank goodness they installed an emergency safety port. Arthur embraced his two brother's in the biggest hug he could manage trying not to hurt them too badly, "I was so worried about you two!"

Tears formed in his eyes and splashed down onto their shoulder's, they looked up at their big brother wiping his eyes free from his tears, "Can we say goodbye to mama and dada?" Keith asked looking at Arthur with his big green eyes. Arthur's body froze and silence took over.

I picked up Feliks deciding to take him to his parents, "Let's all see them," I said finally, we needed to comprehend their deaths and move on to a bigger and brighter future.

Arthur placed his brother's down and I could see Yao preparing himself, although holding Xiang and Kiku's hands, for stopping Arthur from doing something reckless again. But no. He held their hands and started to walk a smile plastered on his face, "That is a wonderful idea!" He said starting to run with his brothers, "I am sure they would love to say good bye!"

Move from the past...

...into the future...

...a bigger and brighter world awaits us all...

...and we shall be wiser in the morning.

**(A/N: Cruddy last chapter and it is a bit angsty, anyway thank you everyone for reading! Review please...)  
**


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